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-   -   Austria + Italy 10 Days places to visit in July (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/austria-italy-10-days-places-to-visit-in-july-1315551/)

TravelLoving84 May 20th, 2017 10:10 AM

Austria + Italy 10 Days places to visit in July
 
Hi,

Coming from Dubai, I am planning a trip with my husband and 5 year old daughter to Austria going by train to one place in Italy. We could only take of 10 days off work at the beginning of July, and we are trying to make the max of it.

I found flights landing in Vienna so that will be our starting point. We love nature, seeing mountains and greens everywhere, buildings and also to have fun with our daughter and of course I love shopping the most.

On the way to Italy I thought of staying for two days in one place, I thought of Villach, to be honest I am not sure where I should be going, also this is out first time to Austria.

In Terms of Italy I think I want to visit Florence or Rome which one is nicer? Is there a nicer place to visit? I do not want venice I think that it will be boring with our daughter

If you were me, where would you go and what would you do? I would really appreciate your advices, please bear in my mind I have a 5 years old daughter that gets bored easily.

Thanks in Advance

massimop May 20th, 2017 10:55 AM

A normal, easily bored by art & churches & ruins 5 year old is not going to find a July trip to Florence & Rome anything but a hot, sticky chore. She might be amused by Venice or Lago di Garda, and these are beautiful places. If in Venice she gets curious about art, mosaics & history, there is plenty to see

Sassafrass May 20th, 2017 12:04 PM

One of my daughters was five when we were in that area. She loved both Vienna and Venice. It has been many, many years, but I think children still enjoy similar things. When we traveled, we alternated between a few hours of sightseeing and a few hours of play time. Anytime they were on a boat, with animals, or swimming, they were happy!

Since you are arriving in Vienna, stay there a couple of days. It is a beautiful city with lots to see. It has some wonderful parks and playgrounds, including one with views and pools. That could be a great afternoon. Look up playgrounds and parks in Vienna. Your daughter might enjoy seeing the Lipizzaner horses and a carriage ride. Mine even enjoyed a tour of St Stephens.

Are you renting a car or going by train?

I am just throwing this out for consideration. We stayed in a German Guesthouse, so it was more for a vacation with many pools and lakes (because of the kids), than seeing highlights of places, so we saw mostly castles. Their absolute favorite was an evening concert at King Ludwig's Herrenchiemsee Palace. It is on an island on Lake Chiemsee and is gorgeous! You take a boat. My girls loved the whole adventure! Salzburg is about 3 hours from Vienna. Herrenchiemsee is another hour from there.

My girls absolutely loved Venice, especially the touristy stuff like a gondola ride. They liked the bridges and pizza and gelato. There are some great books for kids about touring Venice, so I would not take it completely off the list of possibilities.

That being said, with only 10 days, and with a little one, I would be tempted to either narrow the area of travel, or pick only two or three places and fly or train between them, just doing day trips from each.

PalenQ May 20th, 2017 01:02 PM

trains are best for going to cities - I'd consider Vienna - Venice and perhaps also Rome. There is an overnight train Vienna to either - get a private compartment and bring all food and drink you want aboard. for lots on trains and night trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Not much of extraordinary interest between Vienna and Italy- at least compared to Venice and Rome- 3 days in Vienna -night train to Venice - 3 nights- Rome -4 nights.

TravelLoving84 May 20th, 2017 10:49 PM

Thank you all, that was really helpful

@sassafrass to answer your question, definitely taking the train. I really appreciate your advises for my kid.

You have all convinced me to visit Venice now, I think I should do, when I read the merchant of Venice I really wanted to see it.

neckervd May 21st, 2017 02:03 AM

If Venice is too boring for your daughter, you may be interested in Gardaland:
https://www.gardaland.it/en/

fourfortravel May 21st, 2017 03:38 AM

10 days in July with a 5 year old? I would spend a couple of days in Vienna, and then get out of the heat. There are so many wonderful family guesthouses and farms in Tirol, Salzburgland, and Berchtesgaden (Germany) where your little one can play with animals (and friends her own ages). Many of these places offer family-friendly walks in the Alps, complete with prepared picnic, as well as other activities for the entire family. With a rental car for a couple of days you are within striking distance of beautiful castles, too.

Just for reference, we live in Vienna, and for the past three summers our daughter (now 15), the dog, and I leave the city for a few weeks during the peak of heat and tourists. We rent a family apartment in Tirol where we can wander at will and meander into town or lounge at the pool whenever. My husband joins us on the weekends.

Regarding the Lippizaners, they too leave Vienna in summer and head to Piber, their farm in the Styrian Alps. The young horses are in town for a month or so, and the Spanish Riding School offers a program to see the new horses, but it is not a regular performance.

I hope this is helpful.

PalenQ May 21st, 2017 10:01 AM

Coming from Dubai I think the 'heat' of Vienna will feel a bit too cool? Avg hi August in Vienna is 75 - avg low 57 -mean 66 F - like winter in Dubai?

fourfortravel May 21st, 2017 10:19 AM

PalenQ, certainly the weather will feel cooler, but that does not negate the fact that Vienna is still miserable for those who are not all about the Imperial. Do you know of any 5 year old who might find schlepping about a faded Imperial capital, staring at the gilded this-and-that, desirable?

I reiterate that our 15 year old daughter is counting the days until we escape Vienna in July (the travel period of the OP) for the Tirolean countryside, with its fresh, cool, air and a few weeks of being amongst nature.

PalenQ May 21st, 2017 11:23 AM

Do you know of any 5 year old who might find schlepping about a faded Imperial capital, staring at the gilded this-and-that, desirable?>

I would not know many 5 year old who would like it in any weather!

TravelLoving84 May 21st, 2017 11:32 AM

@fourfortravel, I loved the idea of the countryside as well as my husband and the walks in the alps. Can you please recommend a website to book a guesthouse with a tour?

fourfortravel May 21st, 2017 10:28 PM

The Tirol Tourism website might be a good place to begin. http://www.tirol.com We have enjoyed a long weekend at a family resort outside of Innsbruck, http://www.hotel-seppl.at and another at Bergresort Seefeld, bergresort.at

Happy Planning!

PalenQ May 22nd, 2017 07:31 AM

the Austrian Lakes district near Salzburg and Hallstatt make wonderful areas for relaxing, walking, etc.

PalenQ May 22nd, 2017 01:40 PM

On the way to Italy I thought of staying for two days in one place, I thought of Villach, to be honest I am not sure where I should be going, also this is out first time to Austria.>

The Salzburg area is on the way to Italy, kind of - it has direct trains to Italy but of course the most direct route from Vienna goes straight to Villach. Innsbruck also has direct trains to Italy. There are overnight trains from Vienna and Salzburg to Italy though the latter means a late boarding time I believe.

lavandula May 22nd, 2017 04:09 PM

Some ideas for kids in Vienna: our daughter when she was about that age or slightly younger liked riding on the front of my husband's bike; you can rent bikes from Vienna Explorer - Tours and Day Trips at Franz-Josef-Kai 45. There was also an artificial beach on the Danube which was a lot of fun. There is a children's museum for little ones called ZOOM, and I think you have to book sessions. OK if your language is not German. Also there is an aquarium which I think is in one of the flak towers remaining from WWII. Those are all good for 5 yr olds. If you plan on seeing the Hofburg complex there is a butterfly house there which may or may not take her fancy, and you can buy an ice cream there and lie on the lawn in the shade. Vienna can get really hot; I agree with the posts above that say so. Our daughter was also taken with churches: we don't do them that much in our home setting so they were a novelty for her, and even the abbey at Melk impressed her. Melk is lovely if you are looking to get out of Vienna for a day. We never made it to the Lippizaner horses - I think children need to be seven before they are admitted to the performances.

PalenQ May 23rd, 2017 07:59 AM

And Vienna's Prater -and the Big Wheel!


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